Rosa

The Ulyana Lopatkina gala now lists the ballets and casting. http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbi...09/3/19/1_1900/

If Albrecht's identify hadn't been discovered/revealed how long would he have continued to be Loys? Would he someday mysteriously vanish without a word once he grew tired of Giselle, never to return? Would he have eventually told her who he was, hopeful of having some sort of future together? How would Giselle react? Could the revelation that the man she loved not really exist still result in her death?

In 2003 the premiere of Makarova's The Sleeping Beauty performed by the Royal Ballet with Bussell/Bolle was not a total success: sets got stuck or did not appear, and Bussell pulled out with an injury after the grand PDD. I believe Marianela Nuñez finished the performance.

Marga, each post leaves me eager for more! I really appreciate your reviews as I'd been very curious about how Riccetto and Messmer did in their big debuts.

Mikhail Lobukhin replaces Vladimir Shklyarov in the first cast of The Little Humpbacked Horse. http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbi...009/3/14/1_1800

Oh! Just saw Don Quixote now has (for the moment) a Kitri: Viengsay Valdes (Ballet Nacional de Cuba)! http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbi...09/3/17/1_1900/ And Mikhail Kaniskin (Berliner Staatsoper) will dance Siegfried with Tereshkina in Swan Lake. http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbi...09/3/18/1_1900/

Second cast of The Little Humpbacked Horse: Ivanushka – Leonid Sarafanov Tsar-Maiden – Alina Somova Little Humpbacked Horse – Alexander Kulikov Tsar – Roman Skripkin http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbi...09/3/15/1_1900/

Wonderful, Marga; thank you!! You painted for me four quite different Myrtas. (And I'm sure Messmer will grow more in the role with time.)

What a great great roundtable!!!! Thank you, Marga -- and for the link as well! I, too, would like to hear from the Myrthas.

Raymonda is one of my favorite ballets. I own the DVD with Bessmertnova, and saw the Kirov one with Kolpakova this week. The Kirov production is really beautiful. The story makes more sense IMO with Jean already being off at the Crusades and Abderahman appearing in Act I, setting up Raymonda's weariness and fear of him in Act II. I thought the Dream Scene the best part of the production with all those ladies and knights, wonderful costumes and set; there was a real dream quality to it. Kolpakova's Raymonda was lovely and warm. Gennady Selyutsky as Abderahman was imposing; as his advances were continually rejected his demeanor remained mostly calm while inside rage built up. Sergei Berezhnoi's Jean was the weakest of the cast, appearing only slightly interested in the action he took part in, and not having much chemistry with Kolpakova. I prefer the Bolshoi version. The whole cast is strong. Bessmertnova, while not warm like Kolpakova, is a grand-mannered Raymonda with lovely footwork. Vasyuchenko as Jean is noble and an ardent partner. And Gediminas Taranda's Abderahman steals the show in Act II with his Spanish Dance. WOW! Also the corps are wonderful. I like the Bolshoi's style, and the look and "bigness" of the whole production. And I enjoy Grigorovich's choreography. While it is a bit strange having Jean go off and reappear minutes later in Raymonda's dream, the farewell pas de deux Grigorovich provided for him and Raymonda is beautiful and tender -- I never tire watching it.

Ms. Kaufman showered Part with roses in her review. And thank you Hans, OKOK & Natalia for the wonderful reports on the last two performances!

Oh, Hans! I seriously thought something similar, "He looks like he's going to jump in after them!" when Rothbart ran up onto the cliff. Does he really need to check to see if Odette and Siegfried hit the water? It kind of ruins the mood of the finale.

My late (and slightly disorganized) thoughts... Part and Gomes were a match made in heaven with a very special chemistry between them. Their partnership was one of kindred artistry rather than dazzling technique. They completely believed in the lake of tears and sold it to me singlehandedly. Marcelo Gomes’ Siegfried was handsome and noble, ardent, a fine dancer, magnificent partner, and dramatically “on.” He possessed a commanding stage presence that drew my eye to him even when he stood still or was on the side of the stage. The best Siegfried I’ve seen live or on TV. It was not be until late in the party that the full weight of his mother’s order for him to marry hit Siegfried. As he seemed to try to break free from the couples whirling around him before he gave us that haunting soliloquy, perhaps he was unconsciously attempting to follow the faint calling of a swan. Nothing else then was more natural for him than to stumble onto the lake, that world, and find… His Swan Queen. Veronika Part was the most beautiful, heartbreaking Odette. She was sublime, lyrical, with lovely lines, gorgeous legs and feet, wonderful arms, and a deep understanding of the role. I hadn’t really gotten into the performance during Act I (maybe it was because I had trouble knowing where to look with so much going on), but as soon as Odette did that huge jete onto the stage, I was suddenly enraptured. Her first moments were sad, melting, caught between swan and woman; then the terrified stillness when face to face with the awed Siegfried. Fear almost gave her wings as she ran from the prince again and again. I was struck by how much Gomes attempted to capture, just touch, Part. He barely took his eyes off her, as though afraid she would vanish. Once he swiftly followed behind her, his hands moving quickly to hold, calm her frantically beating wings. Two clenched fists paused above his head, only air in his tight grasp as she fled. This night was not one of love at first sight. She stole his heart when she related her strange history – mime clear and emotional – which to him was very real, believable. A change came over him and his hands rested over his heart before he attempted to swear to love her. It was not until during the pas de deux that he won hers. (Earlier after she’d bowed in thanks for his promise not to shoot her companions, she recoiled when he reached out to touch her, fearful of this glimmer of possible freedom.) At the beginning he raised her and offered his hand: she looked into his eyes and placed her hand in his. There was a reluctance towards him at first; still afraid to dream. Here he did not try to quickly chase or rush things like before. Instead he was patient, sensitive, tender, protective. And as time went on, he won her slowly and surely until she melted into him, bodies fitting perfectly. They were in their own world which could not be shattered by anything or anybody. Near the end she tried to leave one last time. He caught her hand and firmly shook his head, “You can’t go. Not when I’ve found you at last.” And she stayed. (Huge response. Part was called on twice. Gomes didn’t seem to notice the audience as he watched her. A heavenly, exquisite White PDD. ) Part-Odette’s newfound hope and love was expressed clearly in the solo and coda. Then dawn summoned her back to her other self. Desperately she tried to fight the spell, reaching out to Siegfried whose grasp was not firm enough to keep her. The anguish in their parting foreshadowed the second meeting. Now there was no hope or dreams of freedom, just betrayal and grief. Yet amidst the darkness was forgiveness in the final heartbreaking pas de deux. Love so deep and true, it could not be defeated by evil as the lovers were separated by Rothbart again and again, always finding each other before they drowned (Gomes’ leap was splendid, straining to follow Part). Maidens bowing in homage, now free, they appeared with the dawn, having found life after death. A spiritual happy ending for this prince and swan queen. Part and Gomes had their Act III, yes, and it was rather fine! During the dance of the princesses Siegfried was longing for that other world, love. His walking by the hopeful bride candidates and pausing before the last had the feeling of “I can’t do this,” before rushing to his mother. Part’s Odile was wicked, confident, and glamorous, while at times a dark reflection of the swan queen when she imitated her. It was impossible for Siegfried to resist this Odile/Odette. And did she know it when she performed those wonderful single 32 fouettes in time to the music; and at that final moment of the coda tossed her head back triumphantly with him at her feet as he passionately pressed her hand against his cheek! What a wicked smile she flashed him when he swore to love her, dooming Odette. Gomes beating wildly on the ballroom doors like a madman I found extremely haunting. There was more: Hallberg’s devilish, dangerously handsome Rothbart; Maria Ricetto, Yuriko Kajiya, and Jared Matthews’ nice pas de trios; the national dances (I missed half of them as I kept glancing over to Gomes to see his interaction with the princesses and queen) which, expect for the “anything you can do I can do better” Neapolitan, seemed alike and danced small/marked – don’t know if it was ABT’s style or McKenize’s choreography; the swan maidens were good, though the staging for them in Act IV was ineffective; and the stunning sets and costumes. Yet for me there really was only Gomes and Part from the beginning at the lake to the end with the touching moment Veronika gave Marcelo a rose. What a magical partnership! The best Siegfried and Odette IMO. ABT has a treasure with this pair and should cherish them. Thank you, Veronika, and thank you, Marcelo, for such an enchanting performance that I will remember for a long time. The night was yours.

That made me think of how at least twice in Act IV Part-Odette mimed that she would kill herself and Gomes-Siegfried rushed to her, separated her fists, and embraced her tightly. Did anyone attend this afternoon's matinee?

Thank you, Natalia and nysusan for the beautiful reviews! I, too, noticed that Gomes didn't get to swear his love. Part actually lowered his hand before he got it all the up, just as she did during their first encounter. I found it a curious change. The lakeside curtain getting stuck was a bit distracting. Does the curtain usually open and close without trouble and simply had an "off night"?

Jennifer Alexander, Tanja Liedtke

Congratulations Osmolkina! Who did Putrov partner regularly in the past?

Thank you very much for the info, Natalia. Are any of those debuts (besides Simkin)?

Found this short trailer promoting the upcoming Giselle run.

Thanks for the report, Natalia! Is there now no Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux at all during the run? Do you know you will be leading Theme & Variations?

Awesome casting!!

-The Paris Opera Ballet video starring Sylvie Guillem and Charles Jude in Nureyev's production is the Cinderella I've grown up with. I love its modern setting, challenging choreography, and Guillem who is excellent in the title role. -While Ashton's Cinderella is a lovely traditional production, and Antoinette Sibley absolutely sparkles in the video (a pity more of her partnership with Dowell was not filmed), I'm never drawn in by it. The pantomime stepsisters are too much for my taste. I don't understand why Cinderella is a servant when there is no ruling-with-an-iron-fist stepmother. And I miss the Prince searching the world for the glass slipper's owner. -The Bolshoi version with Raisa Struchkova and Gennadi Lediakh captures the mood of Prokofiev's dark score well with its lighting, special effects, creepy gnomes announcing the hours, and very spiteful stepmother and stepsisters. While a bit dated, it is charming. -Vasiliev's production performed by the Kremlin Ballet has the magic and warmth I found lacking in Ashton's. Ekaterina Maximova and Andris Liepa not only are beautiful dancers, but give well-drawn interpretations of Cinderella and the Prince. -The only live Cinderella I've seen is the Bolshoi Ballet in Yuri Posokhov's version with Svetlana Zakharova. I think because I have seen and loved Nureyev's production for years and years, I found this one marvelous. I liked the concept with the Storyteller having a hand in moving the story along, set in a sort of surreal world. The choreography was wonderful for the most part. Sergei Filin as the Prince was the highlight of the performance.

She deserves it! I was introduced to Swan Lake when I saw her and Igor Zelensky on TV when I was around eight. Makhalina was beautiful, and that performance is still one of my top-three favorites.

Good question, Peggy! ABT's prologue I find a bit over the top. I never pictured Rothbart seducing Odette when he transformed her into a swan. It doesn't seem to quite match the story she later tells Siegfried. (And I say! Is that the lake of her mother's tears I see in the background? )

Thank you everyone for your responses! This is an interesting discussion. See I actually like this idea of the mourners etc. I guess it just depends on how the choreographer or person setting the ballet wants the story to be told. And to what kind of audience it is for. The DVD of Sir Peter Wright's version for the Royal Swedish Ballet has a prologue showing the funeral procession of the king, among the mourners Siegfried, the Queen Mother, and Benno. Of all the prologues I've seen I have found this one the most effective. It sets the mood of this production and shows the prince, instead of simply displeased his carefree days are over, having to assume a lot of responsibility sooner than he expected. I agree. Sir Wright made a comment on the DVD to the effect of, "Swan Lake is Siegfried's story, but the ballerina's ballet." Introducing Odette at the opening of the ballet takes away, at least for me, some of the magic when she makes that grand jete onto the stage, sealing her and Siegfried's fate.